5 Reasons Why You Should Be Watching Star Wars Resistance

When Star Wars Resistance was first announced, I was ready to welcome a new Star Wars animated show into my life after the bittersweet ending of Star Wars Rebels. When we learned that the show would be influenced by Japanese anime and 80’s cartoons, I was really intrigued. I didn’t know what to expect, but I had this feeling I was going to enjoy it. Resistance tells the story of Kazuda Xiono who is recruited by Poe Dameron to be a Resistance Spy on an aircraft refueling station known as The Colussus. When it premiered late last year, my significant other and I caught up one Sunday and now it’s officially become Resistance Sunday. Because I love it so much and don’t see enough love for it on the internet, I wanted to write down a few reasons as to why you should check out this show, if you haven’t already.

Without further ado, here are five reasons why you should be watching Star Wars Resistance:

1. The show is gorgeous

This show is beautifully animated and looks incredibly unique compared to other children’s animated shows in today’s day and age. The show, which is CGI, uses cel-shading to achieve its distinctive look. There have been several moments throughout the season where I’m taken aback because of the beauty of a shot.

2. Unique, interesting, and diverse characters

Each character from the main cast has their own personality and quirks, which always makes for a fun and interesting watch. The characters themselves are also diverse in how they look, from people of color to alien species, and not only are the characters diverse, but the voice over cast is as well! It’s one of my favorite things about this show.

3. BB-8

I loved BB-8 as soon as I saw him in the first teaser for The Force Awakens, but I think I fell in love with him while watching this show. He’s such a good droid and character and counterpart to everyone he meets. He is featured significantly throughout the show and even has his own love story, but I won’t give too much away… If you’re a fan of BB-8, this show has all the BB-8 content you could ever want.

4. Filling in the dots before and during The Force Awakens

While the show focuses a lot on the weekly misadventures of Kazuda Xiono as a Resistance Spy, there have been several name drops, easter eggs, and special guests that tie into the ongoing conflict between the First Order and the Resistance. If you’re curious about what’s going on in the galaxy before the events of TFA, this show is the perfect starting point. The mid-season trailer also revealed that the show will in fact overlap with TFA, which is quite interesting if you love the animated shows connecting directly to the films.

5. Incredible character arcs

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Lucasfilm animation, it’s that they excel in character arcs. Ezra and Ahsoka are prime examples of characters who weren’t the easiest to like at the beginning for a majority of people, but eventually grew into some of the most beloved characters from the Star Wars galaxy. If you’ve seen The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels from beginning to end, then you know that it takes time and multiple seasons for these characters to grow from their begrudging beginnings to their celebrated heroic endings. Kaz is of the same breed and just like the characters before him, he is currently on his own journey of discovery and transformation.

Star Wars Resistance airs on Sundays on Disney XD and will conclude it’s first season on March 17th!

All photos belong to Lucasfilm.

 

Growing Up With The Clone Wars

I found Star Wars one year after Revenge of the Sith came out and I spent a lot of time wishing I had discovered it sooner. Even though I was only 11 years old, I felt like I had missed out on so much, especially since there was no more Star Wars to look forward to. When I heard about The Clone Wars movie, I remember being really excited about getting to watch a Star Wars film in the theater. This was my chance. I was going to watch a Star Wars movie with other people in the theater and it was going to be just like the end of that Episode I documentary when Rick McCallum is hyping up the crowd and everyone has their lightsabers out and the entire audience is screaming at the sight of the Lucasfilm logo… yup, it was going to be just like that.

In 2008, when I was 13, I had only recently become a proud Star Wars fan. I spent a lot of the first few years being embarrassed by liking Star Wars. It wasn’t cool at the time and my family and classmates thought it was for boys. So, when The Clone Wars came out it was a breath of fresh air and it felt like there was something to be excited about in the Star Wars fandom again and this time I was going to be apart of it, at least, that’s what I thought.

When I discovered the character of Ahsoka Tano, I remember being so disappointed. My only reason being was that I had written fan fiction (I didn’t even know it was called fan fiction at the time) about a girl who went on missions with Obi-Wan and Anakin and who had been a favorite of Master Yoda’s. I know, right? Anyways, I loved that character so much and often wished I could escape into the Star Wars universe and be her. As you can imagine, when I found out who Ahsoka Tano was, I felt a rush of anger and disappointment and jealousy. I never went to go watch the film at the theater and even though I did eventually watch the show on Cartoon Network, I became ambivalent about the whole thing. I thought Ahsoka was annoying and immature. She was around my age and nothing like the character I created in my head.

It wasn’t until season 3 that I started liking The Clone Wars. I don’t know if it was the show itself or having gone to Star Wars Weekends and Star Wars Celebration V that really changed my mind, but it was definitely around that time when I realized this is the Star Wars that’s part of my generation and the Star Wars that I’m growing up with. I felt like I had to be proud of that and also… the show just got better as it progressed.

As time passed, I realized that Ahsoka was changing and growing up, just like I was. I can’t really pinpoint what episode or moment made me start liking Ahsoka, but I can tell you that watching her walk away from Anakin and the Jedi Order made me an emotional wreck. It was in that moment that I realized Ahsoka had grown on me and I cared about her journey. I remember watching it in my living room alone and regretting how much I hated her at first, but I had to grow up to realize that she actually meant something to me. I felt a connection to her and have loved her ever since.

It’s been 10 years since The Clone Wars premiered and thinking back on the show and my relationship with it has made me incredibly nostalgic. It takes me back to the early days of my fandom, when I was just starting out and going to Star Wars Weekends to see all the voice actors. It reminds of my first Star Wars Celebration and the beginnings of Her Universe. I love the sequel trilogy, I love what Disney has given us, but sometimes when I think about those days when all we had to look forward to was a new Clones Wars season and a Robot chicken special, it makes me smile and miss it in a weird way.

If you don’t know by now, there will be new Clone Wars episodes from Lucasfilm and Disney in the future. It was announced at San Diego Comic Con and pretty much blew everyone’s mind, mine included. I wasn’t expecting it, I didn’t even think it would be possible, but someone at Lucasfilm is paying attention and I am grateful.

The episodes will be released through Disney’s streaming app and there will be 12 in total. I am so happy about this and I am happy for Dave Filoni who finally gets to complete his first show in the way he always wanted to. It feels like Star Wars really is Christmas now and it just keeps giving us gifts every year, whether it’s in the form of a TV show, film, book, or comic. I truly have never been more proud to be a Star Wars fan. After all, once you’re a fan, you’re in this life for good.

I’m so happy we’re finally getting the closure we never had. No one will ever spoil my love for the galaxy far, far away. 💜 #CloneWarsSaved

— Lauryn (@JediLore) July 19, 2018

#CloneWarsSaved

Five Things: April 2018

Five Things is a series where I list five things I liked, loved, or geeked out about during the month.

In no particular order, here are this month’s five things…

1. Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover visited the Star Wars Show and spoke with Andi Gutierrez all about Solo and it was pretty great. I love the fact that Glover said he bought a pizza and went home to watch Empire after he found out he was cast as Lando. Too real.

2. Looking For Leia reached their funding goal and will now officially be able to move on into post-production. Yay! It was really cool to see so many people support the project and I cannot wait to watch the docu-series in its final form later this year!

3. A new featurette for Solo: A Star Wars Story was released yesterday and it made me really excited to watch the film. I have come a long way from the time it was announced to the film now being 1 month away from release. It’s going to be great, and if not great, FUN.

4. Avengers: Infinity War came out just a couple of days ago and is now the biggest opening weekend of all time! It surpassed The Force Awakens and I ain’t even mad. The movie was fun and surprising and I’m still thinking about it. Highly recommend.

5. Lastly, I wanted to give a shout out to Vaginal Fantasy. What the heck is Vaginal Fantasy? Well, it was a fantasy romance book club hosted by Felicia Day, Veronica Belmont, Bonnie Burton, and Kiala Kazebee that officially ended this month. Every month, for six years they read a book and discussed it live on Google Hangouts. If you’re interested in checking it out, every hangout has been archived on YouTube and the book club is still going on at Goodreads. Felicia, Veronica, Bonnie, and Kiala were really cool and funny to listen to, I’m going to miss them a lot!

 

Featured Image: Lucasfilm

Ita Bags, Enamel Pins, and Pinstagram

So, I have a new obsession.

Over the past few months I have been collecting enamel pins. You’ve probably seen them around on bags or jackets or lanyards, usually at conventions or most famously, Disney Parks. I don’t have a crazy collection because it can be a very expensive investment, but I have definitely collected quite a few since January of this year and I wanted to share how I started collecting and how I style my pins.

First of all, my new obsession is technically not new as I have been buying pins from Disney World since I was little. However, within the last year or so a lot of little shops online have started releasing originally designed pins that feature some of your most favorite characters, movies, shows, and pop culture phenomenons. It’s crazy how there can be a pin for literally anything these days. As soon as I started to see Star Wars pins that weren’t from Disney Parks pop up on Instagram, I was hooked.

Towards the end of 2017 I decided to bite the bullet and start collecting. The fact that people were wearing pins on their jean jackets and backpacks made me really fall in love with the whole idea. I liked that you could style your pins with a regular outfit and still give it a nerdy flair and I’m all about that subtle nerdy look.

Most of the time I wear my pins on my jean jacket and I switch it up almost weekly depending on how I’m feeling.

 

Now that summer is approaching and I won’t use my jean jacket as much, I’ve decided to put some of my pins on my Ita Bag. It’s whimsy and cute and stylish and something I bought specifically for Disney World and Comic Cons. My bag is from Lantern Pins, who now has a handful of colors (that I hope to purchase in the future), but you can find Ita bags all over the internet, including Amazon. I believe Ita Bags started as a phenomenon in the Anime community and have now taken over the pin community because it is so ideal for displaying pins and not having to worry about them falling off. Last year for Star Wars Celebration, I put a couple of pins on my backpack was constantly checking to see if they were still there and actually had to retrace my steps to find my beloved BB-8 pin in the middle of the exhibit hall.

Never again.

I decided to get a little DIY with my bag. I was inspired by Jackie from Lantern Pins who put a colored paper in her bag slot so that it could have a more colorful background and so that the pins didn’t ruin the fabric inside. It’s a really great idea, but I will admit it was kind of a pain to do. If you’re curious, I essentially measured the bag as best I could and cut craft paper I bought from Michael’s. Honestly, when it came to putting the pins on the paper, you have to kind of just guess and risk it for the biscuit. Maybe there’s an easier way that I’m not aware of but I got it done and it doesn’t look half bad.

If I’ve peaked your interest in any way I would suggest checking out my Instagram where I have tagged all the pin makers and where I usually take pictures of my pin hauls. I will list below some of my favorite pin shops and where you can find Ita bags. I also suggest checking out hashtags on Instagram if you’re curious about all the pins that are out there or how people are styling their own pins. It’s a really fun and creative community that I’m happy to support and hopefully one day I can design my own pin!

Favorite Pin Shops (keep in mind I mostly buy Star Wars pins):

Lantern Pins

Utinni Bikini

Kate Gabrielle (amazing classic film pin shop)

The Floral Martian

Squadron Goals

Fandom Flair Pins

Places You Can Buy Ita Bags:

Lantern Pins

Amazon

Instagram Hashtags to Check Out:

#Pinstagram

#PinGame

#PinGameStrong

#PinLife

#PinsOfIG

#PinCollector

#PinCollection

Five Things: March 2018

Five Things is a series where I list five things I liked, loved, or geeked out about during the month.

In no particular order, here are this month’s five things…

1. This month belonged to Star Wars Rebels. The show came to an end in early March and Lucasfilm was kind enough to invite fans over to watch the series finale and have a Q&A with the cast and creator Dave Filoni. It was really great to hear everyone’s reactions and get some insight into the future of the Ghost Crew.

2. The Last Jedi novelization came out this month! I have not finished it because I’m busy with school, but I love what I have read so far. It’s a great companion to the film and offers a better understanding into the motivations of our beloved characters. It’s also a really pretty book!

3. Forces of Destiny is back with a whole new batch of episodes for season 2. The shorts are really cute and feature PORGS. Yes, PORGS.

4. Filming for Captain Marvel has begun and Brie Larson has been giving us a sneak peek into her training and research for her amazing role as Carol Danvers. I loved the comics written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and I cannot wait for this film!

5. Lastly, The Director and the Jedi is fucking wonderful. This documentary is all about the making of The Last Jedi and gives us an inside look into how Rian Johnson pulled it together. If you liked the movie or love filmmaking in general, you need to watch this doc. It’s available now as a bonus feature on The Last Jedi DVD!

 

The Last Jedi… Three Months Later

So, The Last Jedi is officially out to own on DVD and Blu-ray at a store near you.

I just finished re-watching the film and all of its bonus content and I can honestly say it is truly a spectacular movie. When my first viewing of TLJ ended I remember my SO turning to me and asking me how I felt, I was literally speechless. I couldn’t even think because I was trying to process what I had just seen. The movie was so different. I wasn’t expecting it and I wasn’t sure how to feel. Was I in the wrong if I loved it? Was I in the wrong if I hated it? I couldn’t make a quick judgement, I needed to watch it again.

After my second viewing I remember driving home and thinking it was incredible. All the things that made me feel uneasy were actually wonderful and different and new. That was the best part.

The Last Jedi is not a traditional Star Wars film, both technically and story-wise. It features shots that aren’t traditionally used in Star Wars movies and it shows us incredible ways the Force can be utilized by its users. It’s understandable that certain Star Wars fans may have felt uncomfortable, it’s understandable if they got taken out of the universe they loved so much, but you know what’s not understandable? For people to boycott, harass, and threaten people’s lives over a space movie.

Three months have passed since The Last Jedi premiered and it has been quite a tumultuous time for fans on the internet. Frankly, it sucks. There are certain hate groups who are trying to ruin people’s love for Star Wars, they’re harassing creators on the daily, and they attempt to do very petty things to try and get Disney to listen to their opinions. It’s ridiculous and makes me feel so bad for the people who have to deal with it every day.

There is no doubt TLJ changed Star Wars fandom forever. With the negativity it’s easy to forget that the majority of fans loved and appreciated this film. It doesn’t have to be your favorite. Art is subjective, you can like it or dislike it. You can disagree with how something was shot and you can be mad about Luke dying. But it is completely unnecessary to tweet at a random person to tell them they’re wrong for loving this movie.

After watching all the bonus content I couldn’t help but think about how this film divided people. It is such a wonderful addition to the Star Wars filmography and the Skywalker saga and I have never felt more confident about Rian Johnson than after The Director and the Jedi.

The Director and the Jedi is a documentary that features behind the scenes footage of the making of The Last Jedi. It was beautiful. It made me laugh and cry and wish I were working on a Star Wars film. I was slightly disappointed with the bonus content of The Force Awakens, so I was extremely satisfied with this release. I’m used to watching The Beginning: Making Episode I and Within a Minute: The Making of Episode III. I watched those documentaries over and over again when I was younger. It sparked my dream to work in film, but more specifically on a Star Wars production. I found myself having those same feelings of awe and wonder. Rian Johnson handled this film with composure and class. I look forward to his future trilogy and admire his unperturbed attitude towards the horrible people online.

The Last Jedi and all of its bonus content is out and worth a watch. Yes, it was a controversial film and we will all look back at this time in Star Wars fandom and probably laugh and roll our eyes and then cry because Star Wars is fucking amazing.

Looking for Leia

Hey!

Let me tell you about this really cool docu-series called Looking for Leia. The project was originally going to be a documentary all about women in Star Wars fandom, but is now a six episode series ALL ABOUT WOMEN IN STAR WARS FANDOM and the creators need our help to get it done.

Check out the sneak peek below:

Check out the docu-series announcement below:

Annalise Ophelian is behind this wonderful project that features women of all ages and backgrounds who love Star Wars and not just in front of the camera but behind the scenes as well. After watching the trailer a couple of months ago I instantly regretted not having known about it last year, but it’s not too late to support the project and help get it out there for all of us to watch.

If you’re interested in donating, visit their crowd-funding page here.

If you can’t donate but want to get the word out, follow them on twitter @LookingForLeia.

#GirlsRunTheGalaxy

#WomenBuiltThisRebellion

 

 

Godspeed Rebels

Star Wars Rebels is over. It’s the end of an era.

The first season of Rebels was one of our earliest glimpses into the galaxy far, far away after the Disney acquisition of Lucasfilm. Many were hesitant about the show post-Clone Wars (me), but with Dave Filoni at the helm it quickly earned many fans’ respects.

Over the last four years we have been introduced to several characters across the galaxy and many unique qualities about the force that none of us would have ever believed. If you think The Last Jedi was weird, watch Star Wars Rebels. The series finale aired last night on Disney XD and I wanted to share my thoughts about the ending of this show that initially, I had very little faith in.

Basically, I loved it. I loved the finale. I loved that in the end, our ragtag crew of rebels made it out alive.

Well, for the most part.

We lost Kanan in “Jedi Knight” after he sacrificed himself to save the family that he loved, who he knew would continue the fight against the Empire. It was tragic, beautifully done, and a necessary loss. As for Ezra, I honestly cannot imagine where he’d be and if Thrawn is alive or not. I will probably have to listen to a few podcasts and read a few theories before I make any assumptions. Zeb and Kallus live happily ever after on Lira San and probably adopt a few lasats (wishful thinking). Hera turned out to be pregnant, which I would NEVER have predicted and ended up giving birth to a baby boy named Jacen (yes, Jacen). Jacen Syndulla.

Sabine narrates everyone’s lives from the liberation of Lothal to after the Battle of Endor, which was another surprise! Everyone expected Rebels to end before Rogue One or possibly after the Battle of Yavin. I absolutely love that Hera, Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper survived the original trilogy. I didn’t expect it, but I should have. Sabine then goes on to say that she along with Ahsoka Tano (AHSOKA LIVES) will fulfill the promises they made to Ezra to find him and bring him home.

I’m dead.

First of all, Ahsoka Tano is a fucking legend. I am in love with her story even though it’s shrouded in mystery. I honestly think that’s probably what makes me love her even more. Yes, there is a small part of me that wants to ask, “well, where was she during this event or what about this infamous Yoda quote about Luke being the last Jedi?” I get it. However, Ahsoka isn’t a Jedi anymore and Luke is the only one who could have redeemed Vader, end of story.

Jacen Syndulla is my new favorite conspiracy theory. Who does he grow up to be? Where do his allegiances lie? They obviously were inspired by the EU to use the name Jacen. Why Jacen? Hmm? Anyways, I’m happy that Hera was able to have a living memory of her love for Kanan and it looks like she’s teaching him the ways of space piloting, which is so sweet.

Ezra is the heart of this show. I will admit that I didn’t care for him until the very last episodes because I couldn’t relate with him on a personal level. He is a teenage boy growing up under incredibly difficult circumstances. While I still don’t quite relate with him, I do sympathize and saw that in the last few episodes he really grew up and became the leader and light that everyone needed in those dark times. He made the decision to sacrifice himself not knowing where he’d end up, so that he could liberate his home planet and save his family. Just thinking about his last words make me teary-eyed. I hope Sabine and Ahsoka do find him and I hope we get to see that in a future show or film one day.

Thank you to Dave Filoni and the entire cast and crew of Star Wars Rebels. The show is over, but the Ghost crew will never be forgotten.

 

Featured image from StarWars.com & Lucasfilm.

Five Things: January 2018

Five Things is a series where I list five things I liked, loved, or geeked out about during the month.

In no particular order, here are this month’s five things…

1. Every week I’ve been tuning in to the Overwatch League and it’s been so fun to watch along with my SO. I started playing the game last year and I’ve developed such an appreciation for the teams and esports in general.

2. This episode of the Star Wars Show is a must watch for anyone who went to go see The Last Jedi. I absolutely love (worship?) the Lucasfilm Story Group and every time one of them speaks you just gotta shut up and listen.

3. My somewhat new obsession is collecting enamel pins. I used to buy them when I would go to Disney World, but more recently I have been thrown into a world of pin-makers online and one of my favorites is Lantern Pins. If you’re interested in Star Wars or Disney inspired pins, she has a really great collection.

4. I’ve been watching a new anime called Violet Evergarden and while I won’t know if the story pays off in the end, it is SO BEAUTIFUL. The music and the visuals should be more than enough to check out!

5. Lastly, my new favorite Star Wars podcast is Skytalkers. I could probably write an essay as to why I love it so much, but to keep it short, these young women are around my age and provide a new and refreshing take on Star Wars that I’ve been wanting for so long. These are the friends I wish I had when I was 11 and falling hard for these movies.

Star Wars ComLINKS: Favorite Scene From The Last Jedi

Star Wars ComLINKS is a monthly link up by Anakin And His Angel centered around the galaxy far, far away.

Let’s be real here, I have many favorite scenes in The Last Jedi and that’s because this movie is filled with incredible moments that either gut punch you or make you feel like you could jump out of your seat in exhilaration. I’d like to preface this by saying that I do not have a top or number one favorite scene. However, the one I’ll choose to discuss today is Leia using the force to save her life.

Yup.

It’s probably the most controversial because of the way she flew through space. Some people found it cringy, others found it to be impossible. While I agree a different positioning of her body would have been less comical, I didn’t mind it at all when I first saw it. In fact, I was so awestruck at the fact that she was using the force in the first place, I wasn’t even concerned with the way she was flying.

For those of you who don’t know, Carrie Fisher passed away in December of 2016. The Last Jedi had already finished filming and many were concerned with how the character of General Leia would be handled, me included. I can honestly say Lucasfilm, Rian Johnson, and Carrie Fisher did an wonderful job with Leia. Her lines ironically felt like comforting goodbyes and this scene in particular let the audience know that Leia was stronger in the force than we could have possibly imagined.

When the explosion of the bridge occurs we watch Leia get blown out into the vacuum of space and the scene cuts. I immediately thought “oh, this is how they’re going to do it, this is how they’re going to kill off Leia.” Then I thought “wait, I’ve seen so many promotional stills of her interacting with Admiral Holdo (who has yet to be introduced), this can’t be it.” As soon as we cut back to Leia’s body surrounded by debris, I knew something would happen I just didn’t know what.

In my opinion the music is what makes this scene. As we close up on her face, her theme starts playing in a soft and melancholic tone and it instantly made me cry. The music builds up as her fingers begin to twitch and we know Leia is alive and then we realize, she’s using the force, she’s saving herself.

When her eyes open she starts to move through space, passing the debris from the explosion. Poe Dameron, Finn, and Kaydel Ko Connix (played by Billie Lourd, Carrie Fisher’s daughter) watch from the Raddus as they witness something truly incredible. That’s another thing, nobody aboard the cruiser questions how Leia is doing this. They know.

 

Upon my first viewing, I couldn’t help but exclaim in my head Leia is a Skywalker, Leia is Anakin’s daughter, of course she’s this powerful. When she arrives at the cruiser we cut to her in a space stretcher (at least that’s what I’m calling it) as she is being taken away to be treated. She used the force to save her own life and it was incredibly powerful to watch, especially as a Carrie Fisher fan. The music, the backdrop of desolate space, her face being illuminated by the stars, and the extraordinary way she used the force made this scene one of my favorites of all time in Star Wars and in film in general.

If you are someone who had trouble accepting this scene, I just want you to think about what Carrie Fisher would have thought about it, if she had the chance. She’d probably make fun herself, I laugh just thinking about would have come out of her mouth. Carrie loved poking fun, but I’m also sure that she would have loved to see Leia in such a profound way.

If you’re interested in the music from the scene: John Williams – The Supremacy

What was your favorite scene from The Last Jedi? Comment below!